A Guide to Black Slang from 1976

This coon caricature – the most degrading and insulting of all racist anti-Black caricatures – originally appeared in an 1976 issue of Playboy (click to enlarge). Born during American slavery, the dehumanizing term ‘coon’ (an abbreviation of raccoon) stood for a person portrayed as a lazy, easily frightened, inarticulate, good-for-nothing buffoon. Although he often worked as a servant, and was not happy with his status, he was simply too lazy or too cynical to attempt to change his lowly position.

Source: History on the Net